In case you missed it, we recently announced the poet – artist selections for our 2019 Poster Series! As you may recall, for this year’s event, we reached out to independent artists from throughout the community to help create our haiku posters. A record 34 artists responded!

Responding artists selected haiku from hundreds of poems submitted by new and former contributors. A total of 15 posters were finally decided upon by a panel of five judges. This blind selection included awarding a first-, second-, and third-place poster–also new this year! And, because we received such a wealth of good work, our Board selected two additional haiku posters–“board picks”–bumping the 2019 Series to 18 posters, up from our usual 16!

You may not be aware of this, but in addition to each year’s call for haiku and securing the artists to illustrate these wonderful poems, we also engage a local advertising and marketing firm to help us. This year, we are very pleased to announce that the Syracuse office of Mowerhas joined us with their support, including a one-of-a-kind contribution by one of its Creative Supervisors, Steven Peters.

Our annual unveiling event for the 2019 Series is tentatively scheduled for the evening of Thursday, April 18. Mark your calendars and help us celebrate this wonderful union of art, haiku and community!

Thanks again to our judges, board members, contributors, sponsors and supporters! And, Congratulations to the poets and artists of our 2019 Series!

Listed below are the 2019 poet-artist pairs, ordered by poet’s name first. Former, contributing poets or artists are bolded; by clicking on their name, a link will take you to their previous work with us.

Thanksgiving–a day steeped in tradition, handed down to us from our nation’s original immigrants in celebration of a bountiful harvest. A time for community, a time for family and friends. However you spend this thanksgiving day…

A week ago, a Sunday drive through apple country revealed mostly yellow, yellow-green hillsides. Since then, following a damp and chilly October week of grey clouds and mostly rain, Autumn still lingers with plenty of reds and oranges appearing around every bend!

These autumnal changes in Central New York are given colorful definition in Mary Ellen Morgan’s (Syracuse 2011) brilliant haiku–“multiplicity”, indeed!

Green hills, Autumn leavesUnpredictable sunshineMultiplicity

“Unpredictable sunshine”—another unique characteristic of Autumn, but one that is sometimes tough to get used to! With Judith Friedman’s (Fayetteville 2014) lovely, sensory-driven haiku, you can practically feel October’s brilliant sun as it flickers through the trees and “shatters” on the breeze!

A post about Autumn and the transitions going on around us would not be complete without a haiku about migratory birds. Frequent Syracuse Poster Project contributor, Peggy Liuzzi’s (Syracuse 2011) vivid haiku is both joyful yet somewhat melancholy, isn’t it? Can you hear those mighty flocks as they fly away with Autumn?

Autumn has finally settled here in Syracuse. With its tendency towards capricious weather and warm-colored landscapes, you could say that October is the official beginning of the ‘holidaze’ season — from Columbus Day to New Year’s Day!

Speaking of Columbus Day, did you know that this October event became a national holiday in 1937? And that groundbreaking for our very own Columbus Circle–with its wonderful bronze homage to the explorer–took place on Columbus Day, 1932?!

Exploring our haiku archives, (no pun intended), Columbus and Columbus Circle have often been highlighted over the years by several Syracuse Poster Project poets and artists. What better way to celebrate today’s holiday by featuring a couple of them here!

A bronzed Columbusin front of the Cathedralfound by stray pigeon

The poem, by Robert Gaurnier,
contains a wonderful play on words, don’t you think? As the poet mused for this 2006 Series poster, “….Columbus….sailed a long way to find this land only to be now found by pigeons.”

The poster, created by former Syracuse University student,Jeremy Shuback, handily “….
capture(s) one side of Syracuse and
one side of Mr. Gaurnier’s fantastic
haiku.” (Read more about Jeremy
and what he’s been up to since his
days at SU, here.)

Roosting in bare treesOver Columbus CircleThe crows are black leaves.

We think you’ll agree, this 2013 Series haiku poster beautifully illustrates the poet’s words. It also highlights the strong character of Columbus Circle and its ofttimes, serene atmosphere. The artist, former Syracuse University
student, Danielle Ceneta, now a New York-based artist, has even created the feel of an “…Italian piazza…” in this poster–exactly what the original designers had hoped to achieve with this space.

Doreen Miori-Merola wrote the sensory-driven haiku and describes her experience: “…Looking around, I noticed that the trees had already lost (what I thought was) almost all of their leaves. Then there was a loud noise. I’m not even sure what it was. The sound startled this incredibly large flock of black crows that had been roosting in the bare trees around the old library. Suddenly Columbus Circle came alive with the fluttering of black feathers. It reminded me that perhaps we are never truly alone. The haiku developed in my head with that momentary sensory experience.”

If you’re on our mailing list, or follow us on social media, you know that Syracuse Poster Project strives to bring our community together through art and poetry. We are fortunate to have so many poets who use haiku as a way of confirming their affection for Syracuse and the Central New York area, its well known landmarks and festivals, its many diverse parks and neighborhoods, our wonderful music and art scene. We hope you enjoyed this brief history guide, if you will, of our city’s tribute to Columbus!

The deadline to submit up to three (3) of your best written haiku to the 2019 Syracuse Poster Project Series is quickly approaching! Is yours ready?

Are you needing some inspiration? Well, look no further! You’ll find a couple examples below of some wonderful haiku posters pulled from our archives.

From our 2002 Series: this fine,
sensory-filled haiku, was written by poet and frequent contributor, Martin Walls. In this haiku, the poet has created an “equivalency between the sound of the cicadas and the sound of the lights humming on.” The wonderful illustration is by former Syracuse University student, James Ryan, now a successful visual arts teacher and aspiring illustrator. Learn more about his work her

Fizz of Cicadasslows as evening cools–lights humon in Armory

From our 2010 Series: even if you are not a dog lover, this delightful haiku, written by Cynthia DeKing and perfectly illustrated by former Syracuse University student, Sarah Chalek, will certainly make you smile! By the way, Sarah, a dog lover herself, is currently working in Los Angeles for Ingenuity Studios; and Cynthia wrote this haiku using a personal experience walking dogs!

Ears flapping in windtrying to keep the dog’s pacewalking me instead

From our 2011 Series comes a haiku
referencing an end of Summer event we are all too familiar with! Poet, Lori DiCaprio-Lee, uses fond memories and her experiences as a Mom, to create this rich, thought provoking haiku. She writes, “I’m excited about the Fair coming, but I’m also melancholy because summer is ending.” The colorful poster was illustrated by former Syracuse University student, Keisha Cedeno, now working with Freeze NY as a graphic artist.

When the Great Fair comesschool cannot be far behind.Summer ends too soon.

From our 2017 Series, this wintry
haiku was written by working Dad and poet, Nicholas Petrone. By
employing his years of experience
with Syracuse winters, he writes, “…I wrote the haiku one evening after a big snowstorm. My children had been playing all day in the wind and the snow, and after I put them to bed I sat down and wrote this poem.”Marisa Rother, another former Syracuse University and now a freelance illustrator and designer, created the beautiful and imaginative poster.

As you prepare to write, remember, nearly all haiku selected for illustration by the Syracuse Poster Project, celebrate our area’s four distinct seasons, our favorite pastimes, our many diverse community celebrations and events! Create your haiku with three lines of 5, 7, 5 syllables. Comb through your personal experiences and use your imagination!

Be sure to submit your poems by Friday, September 7, 2018.

If you need more inspiration, you’ll find more good haiku here on our Poetry Blog. If you’re new to the Project, and would like to participate this year, please click HERE for our standard entry form. To download our specially designed Invitation Brochure, click HERE.

The deadline to submit up to three (3) of your best written haiku to the 2019 Syracuse Poster Project Series is quickly approaching! Is yours ready?

Are you needing some inspiration? Well, look no further! You’ll find a couple examples below of some wonderful haiku posters pulled from our archives.

From our 2002 Series: this fine,
sensory-filled haiku, was written by poet and frequent contributor, Martin Walls. In this haiku, the poet has created an “equivalency between the sound of the cicadas and the sound of the lights humming on.” The wonderful illustration is by former Syracuse University student, James Ryan, now a successful visual arts teacher and aspiring illustrator. Learn more about his work her

Fizz of Cicadasslows as evening cools–lights humon in Armory

From our 2010 Series: even if you are not a dog lover, this delightful haiku, written by Cynthia DeKing and perfectly illustrated by former Syracuse University student, Sarah Chalek, will certainly make you smile! By the way, Sarah, a dog lover herself, is currently working in Los Angeles for Ingenuity Studios; and Cynthia wrote this haiku using a personal experience walking dogs!

Ears flapping in windtrying to keep the dog’s pacewalking me instead

From our 2011 Series comes a haiku
referencing an end of Summer event we are all too familiar with! Poet, Lori DiCaprio-Lee, uses fond memories and her experiences as a Mom, to create this rich, thought provoking haiku. She writes, “I’m excited about the Fair coming, but I’m also melancholy because summer is ending.” The colorful poster was illustrated by former Syracuse University student, Keisha Cedeno, now working with Freeze NY as a graphic artist.

When the Great Fair comesschool cannot be far behind.Summer ends too soon.

From our 2017 Series, this wintry
haiku was written by working Dad and poet, Nicholas Petrone. By
employing his years of experience
with Syracuse winters, he writes, “…I wrote the haiku one evening after a big snowstorm. My children had been playing all day in the wind and the snow, and after I put them to bed I sat down and wrote this poem.”Marisa Rother, another former Syracuse University and now a freelance illustrator and designer, created the beautiful and imaginative poster.

As you prepare to write, remember, nearly all haiku selected for illustration by the Syracuse Poster Project, celebrate our area’s four distinct seasons, our favorite pastimes, our many diverse community celebrations and events! Create your haiku with three lines of 5, 7, 5 syllables. Comb through your personal experiences and use your imagination!

Be sure to submit your poems by Friday, September 7, 2018.

If you need more inspiration, you’ll find more good haiku here on our Poetry Blog. If you’re new to the Project, and would like to participate this year, please click HERE for our standard entry form. To download our specially designed Invitation Brochure, click HERE.

That’s right! It’s time once again to consider submitting one or two of your best haiku to our 18th Annual Poster Series! If you have ever contributed haiku to the Syracuse Poster Project, you may have already seen our Invitation Brochure in the mail this past week!

If you’re new to the Project, and would like to participate, please click HERE for our standard entry form. To download our specially designed Invitation Brochure, click HERE. Or, feel free to contact us to be put on the mailing list for next August’s announcement!

Something New for Our 2019 Series: Since our beginnings, our haiku posters have been culled from illustrations created by Syracuse University students. The last 3-4 years, we introduced specially themed Series posters, commissioned by local artists, and invited poets to write a haiku about the poster.

This year’s call for haiku is especially noteworthy as we are reinvigorating our work by reaching out to artists from across the community and throughout the Central New York area who will illustrate our 18th Series’ posters based on the haiku of their choice. Aside from submitting your best haiku for community-based illustrators to choose from, please share this exciting news with your artist friends or consider referring us to artists you may know of!

As always, we welcome your poetic contributions that reflect our fair city’s multicultural heart, the Central New York countryside or Syracuse at large! In fact, many haiku previously selected for illustration have celebrated our area’s four distinct seasons, our favorite Syracuse pastimes, our community celebrations and events.

Beyond haiku posters, your work stands a chance of being shared with the public in other ways, as well: via specially printed cards, haiku booklets, haiku-of-the day features, on our Blog and new this year, on large-format flat screens traveling with our poster exhibit. And, if your haiku is chosen to be illustrated for the next Series, it will be on display for one year following our unveiling event in April, 2019!

Mounted in downtown’s colorfully painted kiosks along Salina and Warren Streets, each of our illustrated haiku posters uniquely enhances downtown Syracuse! Like our mission, our haiku posters continue to bridge art and poetry within our community and with our Central New York neighbors

A special note for elementary and secondary school teachers: If you are an elementary and / or secondary school teacher, we would love to hear from you and your students, too! Several of our haiku posters feature student poems–we greatly enjoy the vision and spirit of their work. If you decide to have your class participate, please help with the selection by sending us the best five haiku from each class.